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Chapter 49. The First Battle In The Wilderness

Narnia's eyes sparkled at the array of dishes lined up in the living room.

"Amazing... this must be heaven..."

Don't go dying on us, little girl.

"Let's start by trying each one, shall we?"

"That sounds like a plan."

It was Chef Hugo who replied. He had arranged the dishes so beautifully that it didn't seem like I had made them.

Cherina stared down at the fried flounder. No, she looked more like a frog getting stared down by a snake. Sweat dripped from Cherina's face.

"Let's start with Chef Hugo's dishes."

"Mine?"

Hugo looked puzzled.

"I want to make sure we taste the delicious food of this land again, and it will reassure everyone."

"I'm not worried about Akira's cooking."

It's rude. But Hagg seems like he'll eat anything.

"That, and reluctantly, the stubborn dwarf..."

Huh? Yaralai too?

"What did you say?! You stinky elf!"

"...Want to die?"

"I'll show you my hammer!"

"You two won't have dinner tonight."

Why do fights always break out?

"Sorry. I apologize."

"Apology accepted."

Wow, they're both easier to handle than I thought. Wait, were they both food lovers?

"They all look delicious..."

"Wipe your drool."

I wiped Narnia's face roughly with a handkerchief.

"Meowwww?!"

I covered her face with it. Behave yourself a bit.

"Now, let's eat... Mmm, delicious. Chef Hugo, were you the one always making lunch?"

"Yes. My subordinates and I make it."

"Delicious~~!"

Narnia's reaction was as expected.

"It's delicious."

"Very good."

"As expected of the head chef."

Hagg, Yaralai, and Cherina praised.

"The seasoning is exquisite. It doesn't just taste salty."

"Thank you. I used better oil today, olive oil, a precious oil."

"Oh, there's olive oil?"

"You know about it? You're still so knowledgeable."

"...It's just a coincidence."

Now that he mentioned it, this oil is olive oil. It's extremely delicious.

"Now it's my turn. Let's start with this."

I focused on the pot placed on the gas stove in the middle of the table.

"Hmm?"

"Vegetable soup?"

Hehehe. It's more than that.

I turned up the gas to maintain a rolling boil. It was difficult to control the heat. So I couldn't use a brazier. It just occurred to me why modern cooking is so diverse—it's because the control of heat has become so flexible.

Today was impossible, but Hugo would soon master the brazier and control the heat.

"Alright, here's what you do: grab the fine piece of seabream next to it with your chopsticks, put it in the soup, and... shabu-shabu... There you go."

I lifted the sea bream when it turned slightly white and dipped it into the ponzu sauce with grated daikon before bringing it to my mouth.

"Mmm, the sweetness of the sea bream spreads throughout the mouth."

The broth was also well-made.

"I, I wanna try! But I can't hold this weird stick!"

It seems she can't use chopsticks. Well, that was expected.

"Then use a fork."

I handed her a fork prepared by the chef. Narnia submerged the sea bream in the broth, throwing her small body onto the table.

"Umm, shabu-shabu? ...Like this?"

"That's right, shabu-shabu is the magic spell that enhances this dish. Always remember to say it."

"Huh?! Magic?!"

"...Just eat."

"Okay... Mmm! Ahh!"

The little girl placed the piping hot fish in her mouth, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"N-Narnia?!"

"I... I've never... tasted something... so delicious..."

Please don't scare me like that. I thought she choked on a bone. I'm glad she liked it, but crying?

Cherina, who was watching this, hastily picked up her chopsticks and dropped them.

"Don't force yourself. Use the fork."

"Yes... shabu-shabu..."

"I'll do it too! Shabu-shabu!"

Hagg is saying it sounds like some suspicious potion. Rest assured, there are no strange ingredients. It's legal.

"...Shabu, shabu..."

Yaralai's shabu-shabu was a bit odd. But both Hagg and Yaralai seemed to have mastered the use of chopsticks in just a few days too quickly...

"Then I'll join. Shabu-shabu... Ah, this is the perfect level of heat."

Only Hugo seemed to have grasped the meaning of the spell.

Now, let's see how everyone's doing.

"I-Is this... sea bream? What is this flavor? It's more complex compared to the fish cooked earlier. Why is that? Despite being almost raw. Furthermore, this sauce enhances the subtle flavor of the fish, leaving a refreshing sensation in the mouth. The base flavor is similar to fish sauce, but it's entirely different, eliminating any fishy smell and bringing out only the deliciousness. That's truly a magical sauce. Ah, so soy sauce can transform into such a dipping sauce..."

The young lady's evaluation is long.

"What a revelation! I've eaten fish in various places, but I've never seen or heard of eating it like this! I always thought the best way was lightly salted grilled fish, but I need to reconsider that!"

Hagg, I think you're more suited to rustic grilled fish.

"Delicious. A food revolution."

That's an exaggeration. Mr. Elf.

"Sea bream is a fish that's difficult to bring out the flavor of, which applies to white fish in general. There's a misconception that you need strong seasoning because of its bland taste. However, there's another element. Yes, this seemingly unassuming boiled soup holds the secret. Even when tasted alone, it only has the mild flavors of vegetables and seaweed. But by submerging the sea bream in it. It maximizes the flavor of the fish. So, even when dipped in a strong sauce, you can still enjoy the flavor of the white fish. Impressive."

You're long-winded too. Are you a critic?

"Well, I'm glad you liked it. But I didn't prepare that much."

Boom!

Everyone's eyes lit up at my words.

Huh? Your eyes look scary. All of you.

"Let's dig in!"

"Leave it to me!"

"I want some too!"

"I won't allow anyone to taste it. Now is the time to show the name of Kurenai's might!"

"Just a bit more! Just a bit more until I understand the essence of sea bream!"

From that day on, the First Battle for Sea Bream began.

The powerful slice by the dwarf got blocked by Yaralai's chopsticks, and Cherina's fork flew like a snake. The chef jumped in with no plan and got sent flying by the three, and at that moment, Narnia stole it.

It was truly a war.

The clash of the 5 minds, skills, and bodies ended in a heap of corpses after an ugly psychological battle and negotiation.

Hey, come back.

"We can make it again, right?"

As I sighed, everyone seemed to regain their senses and awkwardly got up.

"Y-Yes, of course, we can make it again. Hugo, how do we make it?"

"I've seen it with my own eyes. I've also memorized the taste. Seasonings are difficult, but I'll figure it out somehow."

"Sorry, I got carried away."

"I regret it."

"Um... I'm sorry, Lady Cherina."

"It's okay, Narnia. I've learned that everyone is equal in the face of delicious food. I'm actually more grateful than anything."

Cherina and Narnia shook hands and nodded at each other. Do as you please.

"So, can we move on to the next dish now?"

"""""Of course!"""""

You guys are getting along well.